Inspired by criticism, Shreyas Iyer has removed the weakness of the short ball. His strong performance as a captain and batsman in the IPL has made him a strong contender for the captaincy of the Indian T20 team.
Mumbai: Captain Shreyas Iyer, who has led Punjab Kings to back-to-back wins in IPL, has spoken openly about the biggest change in his career. In an interview with Jio Hotstar, Shreyas said that the words of those who tried to prove him weak have taken him to where he is today. For many years, the biggest criticism of Shreyas Iyer was that he is weak in playing bouncers i.e. short pitch balls. But this time, he gave a befitting reply to the critics by hitting a six off the ball of Jasprit Bumrah, one of the best fast bowlers in the world.
Answered critics with the bat
Shreyas said, “I had heard that some people say that I can’t play certain types of balls. It especially hurt me that I would never be able to fix my problem of short pitch balls. Because I don’t like to hear the word ‘impossible’ at all. So, I was determined to prove them wrong. For this I worked very hard. Earlier I used to defend short balls or try to take singles. But now, if the ball comes in my zone, “I send him straight for a six.”
Those who said that after the back injury, Shreyas Iyer would not be able to bat like before, he has also answered them with his game. He clearly said, “How you bounce back mentally after an injury is very important. I have learned to ignore unnecessary criticism.” To maintain consistency in his batting, Shreyas said that he bats for about 50 overs and plays more than 300 balls in a training session.
He said, “My training does not remain the same. I acquire my rhythm by facing real bowlers instead of side-arm throws. I carefully observe the batting rhythm of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and AB de Villiers and try to adapt it to my style.” Shreyas cited the support of his coaches Praveen Amre and Abhishek Nair as a major reason for his growth.
Will Shreyas Iyer be the next T20 captain of Team India?
In the last IPL season, Shreyas Iyer had taken Punjab Kings to the final under his captaincy. Now under his captaincy in the 2026 IPL, Punjab Kings are going unbeaten and are on top in the points table. Iyer is shining in both the roles of captain and batsman. So far, he has scored 279 runs in six innings of seven matches at an excellent average of 69.75. On the other hand, Suryakumar Yadav is currently struggling with poor form. In such a situation, the discussion has intensified that Shreyas Iyer may get the captaincy of the Indian T20 team in the coming days.